Closure device proof against projections of water for cover of casing or switchboard



Jan. 16, 1968 G. H. LACAN 3,363,953

CLOSURE DEVICE PROOF AGAINST PROJECTIONS OF WATER FOR COVER OF CASING OR SWITCHBOARD Filed Oct. 24, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 C! F ""I 9 I M I I I I I I I I I I l /;J I I 70 I I I J I fl I I l I I I 96 L a I |:]Ed 191 I I F 9 I /o I I l I I I I I I I r I 74 I 10 LqZ J FIG. 1

Jan. 16, 1968 G. H. LACAN 3,363,953

CLOSURE DEVICE PROOF AGAINST PROJECTIONS OF WATER FOR COVER OF CASING OR SWITCHBOARD Filed Oct. 24, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w ld l I \l n FIG. 3 a 6 United States Patent CLOSURE DEVICE PROOF AGAINST PROJEC- TIONS OF WATER FOR COVER OF CASING 0R SWITCHBOARD Guy Henri Lacan, Yvelines, France, assignor to La Telemecanique Electrique, Nanterre, Hauts de Seine, France, a joint-stock company of France Filed Oct. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 588,905 Claims priority, application France, Nov. 3, 1965, 37,156 5 Claims. (Cl. 312100) The present invention relates to a closure device proof against projections of water and against dust for the cover of a protection casing for electrical apparatus such as contactors, switches, relays or the like which it is desired to protect against external influences.

The closures of this type known up to the present time, generally comprise a flat joint formed of a rigid or elastic material such as rubber, the said joint being housed inside the cover and compressed by this latter by means of screws, so that a flat surface of the joint is compressed against a perpendicular edge belonging to the edge of the casing, from which the cover projects substantially in order to cover the whole of the fluid-tight joint device.

It is however not possible to apply any excessive pressure on the joint of the cover without damaging this latter. In addition, the force of a projection of water, for example during the course of violent rain, can result in a slight lifting of the joint which destroys the fluid-tightness. Finally, such an arrangement with a projecting cover is not attractive in appearance and is inconvenient to open.

Other fluid-tight closure arrangements for panel boxes or casings are also known, in which the cover fits inside the box and compresses perpendicularly a sealing joint lining the space between the cover and the box. An arrangement of this kind necessarily results in a considerable loss of available useful volume in the housing of the joint.

The present invention avoids the drawbacks mentioned above.

It has for its object to provide a fluid-tight closure device which is simple and robust, and which, by its constitution in forming an anti-splash device, effectively protects the interior elements of the casing or box against possible projections.

The present invention also provides a device of small size and attractive appearance, the various accessories for the closure and locking of the cover being completely hidden and easily mounted.

To this end, the fluid-tight closure device according to the present invention is characterized essentially by the fact that it is constituted by the assembly:

of a casing or box of which the edge corresponding to the opening comprises a re-entrant portion inclined at a certain angle towards the interior and followed by another turned-back portion, that is to say directed towards the exterior and forming a V with the first part of the edge, so that the said folded arrangement of the edge of the casing forms an anti-splash arrangement for the device; and

of a cover intended to fit over the the casing without projecting therefrom, the fold directed towards the exterior, or turned-back portion being directed towards the angle of the edge of th cover, while an appropriate joint is arranged in the said angle and ensures the fluid-tightness of the device.

two folds of the edge of form a V are coupled together by a rounded portion forming a gutter.

The joint of the cover is composed of a flexible or semirigid plastic material or of rubber or of any other suitable material, and has a quadrangular or triangular section, the apex of the triangle or an angle of the rectangle respectively coinciding with the inner edge of the cover.

The inclined re-entrant portion of the edge of the casing comprises openings for the fixing respectively of the hinges and the various parts of the lock of the cover, these openings being arranged so as to permit the passage of the necessary tools with respect to the turned-back portion of the edge.

The present invention has also for its object any casing, box, switchboard and the like equipped with a fluid-tight closure device such as specified above.

Other advantages and characteristic features of the present invention will become apparent in the description which follows below, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of one possible form of construction of a protection casing provided with an edge according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a half-section taken along the line aa of FIG. 1, in which there has also been shown a preferred arrangement of the cover provided with a fluid-tight joint according to the invention, with respect to the casing.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section to a smaller scale, taken along the line b-b of FIG. 2, showing an advantageous arrangement of the sealing joint in the interior of the cover.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-section to a larger scale of one preferred form of construction of the edge of the casing, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there has been shown by way of example a casing or box 1 provided with a fluidtight closure device according to the invention. To this end, the edge corresponding to the opening of the casing 1 comprises a re-entrant portion 2 inclined at a certain angle towards the interior of the casing and followed by a turned-back portion 3, that is to say directed towards the exterior. The metal sheet thus folded forms a V which constitutes an excellent anti-splash device while the acute angle of the said V forms a gutter. The cover 4, shown very diagrammatically by way of example in FIG. 2, and which generally has a rounded form on its upper part, fits over the two folds 2 and 3 of the edge of the easing 1 in such manner that the turned-back portion 3 is directed substantially in the direction of the edge 5 of the cover 4,

A sealing joint 6 is arranged in the angle 5 of the edge of the cover 4. This joint is made of flexible rubber or plastic material or of any other appropriate material. It may advantageously be given a rectangular section such as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in full lines and in cross-section.

It has been assumed in the drawings that the cover 4 was articulated with respect to the casing 1 by means of hinges, of which the corresponding openings 10 are pierced in the inclined portion 2 of the edge of the casing, so that the turned-back portion 3 does not interfere with the passage of the tools necessary, such as screwdrivers, spanners or rivet-sets. The side of the casing I intended for fixing the above hinge articulation, has been indicated at 9b. On the opposite edge 9a, there has been arranged a locking device 11 shown diagrammatically, the corresponding member on the cover 4 not having been shown for the sake of clearness of FIG. 2.

As has been shown in FIG. 3, in which the joint 6 has a rectangular section on the periphery of the cover, the said joint may have a greater width on the upper and lower edges S'a and 8b respectively and on the edge 9a than on the edge 9'b which corresponds to the articulation of the cover.

In particular, the joint on the side 9b on which the hinges are located, can be arranged on edge, that is to say with the supporting face against the edge 3 placed parallel to the fold of the cover, since the pressure force of the edge 3 is more particularly applied perpendicular to the said fold.

This same joint 6 can also have a triangular section 7, as has been shown in dotted lines on FIG. 2.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, there has been shown a sheet metal plate 12 fixed against the bottom 13 of the casing 1 provided with threaded bolts 14, it being understood that this arrangement is only given by way of example and does not form the object of the present invention. Corresponding openings 15 permit the passage of the bolts 14.

According to a preferred form of construction of the closure device according to the invention, there has been shown in cross-section in FIG. 4 an arrangement of the edge of the opening of the casing 1, such that the reentrant portion 2 forms an angle of 30 with the corresponding wall of the casing 1, while the angle which it forms with the turned-back portion 3 is comprised between 75 and 90. In addition, the two folds 2 and 3 on the edge of the casing 1 which form a V, are coupled together by a rounded portion 16 forming a gutter.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has only been described and shown purely by way of explanation and not in any limitative manner, and that any alternative form can be given thereto without thereby departing from its scope.

In particular, the method of closure of the cover of the casing or box can be effected by any known means.

The fluid-tight closure device according to the invention may be employed for the protection of metal-clad switchboards.

I claim:

1. A box proof against projections of water and against dust, for the protection of electrical apparatus in particular, said box comprising:

a casing open at least on one face, and the edge of which corresponding to said opening face comprises a re-entrant portion inclined at a certain angle towards the interior, followed by a turned-back portion towards the exterior and forming a V-shaped gutter with said first portion;

a closure cover fitting when closed, without projecting, over the two said inclined portions forming a V- shaped gutter;

a fluid-tight joint disposed in the angle of the corner edge of the cover;

means for operating and locking said cover, mounted and fixed by means of openings formed in said reentrant portion of the edge of the casing in a zone recessed with respect to the corresponding edge of the closure cover.

2. A fluid-tight box as claimed in claim 1, in which said turned-back portion towards the exterior of the edge of the casing is directed towards the corner angle of the edge of said cover in which is housed said sealing joint.

3. A fluid-tight box as claimed in claim 1, in which said sealing joint has a triangular section.

4. A box proof against projections of water and dust, especially for the protection of electrical apparatus, said box comprising:

a casing open on at least one face and in which the edge corresponding to said opening face comprises a reentrant portion inclined towards the interior at a certain angle, followed by a portion turned-back towards the exterior and forming a V-shaped gutter with said first portion, said gutter forming an angle of 30 with the plane of the opening surface of said casing and an angle comprised between and with said portion turned back towards the exterior;

a closure cover fitting over, when closed, and without projecting from the two said inclined portions forming the V-shaped gutter;

a sealing joint disposed in the angle of the edge of the cover;

means for operating and locking said cover mounted and fixed by means of openings formed in said reentrant portion of the edge of the casing in a zone recessed with respect to the corresponding edge of the closure cover.

5. A fluid-tight box as claimed in claim 4, in which said two inclined portions forming a V-shaped gutter on the edge of the casing are coupled together by a rounded portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,687,887 10/1928 Pletcher 220-74 2,359,053 9/1944 Schonitzer et al. 22046 2,723,142 11/1955 Stebbins 22046 3,268,106 8/1966 Satz 220-46 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

J. L. KOHNEN, Assistant Examiner. 

4. A BOX PROOF AGAINST PROJECTIONS OF WATER AND DUST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE PROTECTION OF ELECTRICAL APPARATUS, SAID BOX COMPRISING: A CASING OPEN ON AT LEAST ONE FACE AND IN WHICH THE EDGE CORRESPONDING TO SAID OPENING FACE COMPRISES A REENTRANT PORTION INCLINED TOWARDS THE INTERIOR AT A CERTAIN ANGLE, FOLLOWED BY A PORTION TURNED-BACK TOWARDS THE EXTERIOR AND FORMING A V-SHAPED GUTTER WITH SAID FIRST PORTION, SAID GUTTER FORMING AN ANGLE OF 30* WITH THE PLANE OF THE OPENING SURFACE OF SAID CASING AND AN ANGLE COMPRISED BETWEEN 75* AND 90* WITH SAID PORTION TURNED BACK TOWARDS THE EXTERIOR; 